The Neeson Cripps Academy, a school that has transformed the lives of children who once scavenged through garbage to survive, has been recognised as the top STEM school in the world by the Global Schools Prize.
The Neeson Cripps Academy (NCA), the high school of non-profit Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF), won the STEM category in the Global Schools Prize 2026, selected from nearly 3,000 nominations across 113 countries.
The NCA was the only school in Southeast Asia to make the Top 10.
This award means so much to all of us
The award was presented at the Education World Forum in London on 19 May.
The inaugural prize—run by the Varkey Foundation—celebrates the world’s most innovative and impactful schools reimagining education for the future.
As the winner of the STEM Education category, Neeson Cripps Academy receives $50,000 and a Global Schools Prize Badge in recognition of its extraordinary leadership and impact in advancing innovation and excellence in education.
Scott Neeson, Founder and Executive Director of CCF, said: “It’s an honour to be recognised as one of the Top 10 schools in the world and best in STEM.
“This award means so much to all of us. It’s a recognition of our education team—a truly remarkable group of individuals—and it also reflects the many unsung heroes who work alongside us or have supported us along the way; this achievement would not have been possible without them. We extend our special thanks to Robert Cripps, who has been involved from the very beginning through to today, and whose belief in the power of education to transform lives has made a lasting impact in Steung Meanchey.”
Founded by renowned education pioneer and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, the $1 million Global Schools Prize is the largest of its kind.
The top 10 list recognises outstanding schools worldwide that demonstrate exceptional drive and ambition for their students, regardless of circumstance, ensuring every learner has the chance to thrive.
Opened in 2017 as CCF’s flagship facility, the NCA stands 300 metres from Phnom former Steung Meanchey garbage dump. Many of the first children who attended the school once worked and lived on the dumpsite.
With modern IT and science laboratories, access to the latest technologies, and a strengthened teacher training program, the NCA delivers a world-class education grounded in STEAM and STEM. This focus equips students with the skills to succeed in a rapidly evolving technological workforce through robotics, coding, and immersive, hands-on learning experiences such as rooftop hydroponics and beekeeping.
The school has established partnerships with leading global institutions and organisations, including Microsoft, Adobe, the University of Nottingham, and Southampton Solent University in the United Kingdom.
Now serving 500 students from one of Cambodia’s poorest communities, the NCA has achieved a 99% pass rate in Cambodia’s Grade 12 National Examination, with 39% of graduates progressing into STEM-related university degrees.
NCA students represented Cambodia at the World Robot Olympiad in Hungary (2019) and Singapore (2025), and a female NCA student was selected for Cambodia’s team at the 2025 FIRST Global Challenge in Panama.
Around 70% of NCA students and 74% of CCF university scholars are female. While female participation in STEM in Cambodia remains among the lowest in the region, particularly in high-growth fields such as engineering and ICT, NCA is actively working to address this gap by empowering more young women to pursue STEM pathways.
This is more than an award – it’s a platform to spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and advancing action far beyond the classroom.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation, the Global Schools Prize, and GEMS Education, said: “Congratulations, Neeson Cripps Academy. Your approach to teaching and learning powerfully demonstrates how schools play a defining role in equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to shape our rapidly evolving world. By highlighting your achievement, we hope to inspire a global movement to reimagine learning and turn bold ideas into real-world impact. This is more than an award – it’s a platform to spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and advancing action far beyond the classroom.”
CCF's broader work has also been recognised with the International Philanthropy Award (Philanthropy Australia, 2024), the Navitas Impact Award (2024), specifically honouring NCA's STEAM program, and the ASEAN Outstanding Social Welfare and Development Award (2021).
